King's Past / King's Future

As King’s prepares to celebrate its 200th anniversary in 2029, what should the relationship between between its past and present be?

The first quarter century of the twenty-first century saw another reimagining of King’s global profile and the role of the university in national life. The expansion of Higher Education in the UK has produced a more diverse student body, while King’s position in a global marketplace of Higher Education drew large numbers of students and researchers from across the world. In the 2020s, King’s like other universities in Britain is educating more students then ever before and produces increasingly vital research. But universities like King’s are also embattled in new ways, at the centre of what many describe as culture wars.

Our last moment moment is now. How should King’s navigate its relationship from its past to future in the present. What should the institution draw on, what should it criticise in the histories which the King’s Past project collects. Over the next years, King’s Past aims to faciliate conversations within the King’s community about the relationship between past and present. We’d like you - King’s students, staff, alumni, partners, well-wishers - to share your thoughts about how we do that. We look forward to the conversation. If you have ideas, please email the King’s Past project.